How to properly hang joist hangers? Tips and Tricks?

I'm going to be building a deck and would like to know the best way to attach joist hangers. (It's low to the ground and beams under the joists would result in trenches and that would also block water drainage).

What I usually do is install the beam and nail through the end of beam into the joist. Then I put the hanger on. This allows me to position it such that the top of the beam (or rim joist) and joist are perfectly flush. It's alot more work though. I really don't want to waste nails or have them showing on the outside though.

I've also attached them first and then installed the beam, but then I'm shaving off the tops of joists where they're a wee bit high and I'm shimming the low ones. No good.

I use a couple of bar clamps and a small piece of 2x stock to hold the joist in position relative to the top of the beam while nailing the hanger in place. You can use a 3rd clamp to hold the hanger if you want to make it really easy. One picture of this would be worth a lot of words .

I am aware of how corrosive the new PT lumber can be. I'm not too worried about it. They will be on the underside of the deck and it's not going to see THAT much moisture. My triple galv hangers should hold up just fine.

I'll probably still end nail each joist and then put on a clean rimjoist along the outside nailed from the inside.

You can usually use hot-dipped galvanized nails with pressure treated materials.

One issue with pressure treated material is that it is usually wet and will shrink a lot. The hanger is usually fastened near the top of the beam and doesn't shrink. The joist is supported on the bottom. If the joist shrinks 1/2" then the differential shrinkage is approximately 1/4". Of you leave the joist a little high it is easy to shim under the deck board at the beam but if the joist shrinks low you have a mess of a job to try to make them equal.

Putting a ledger board on the bottom of the beam requires a lot of fasteners. Most codes now require joist hangers after a few high decks have fallen after the toenails pulled out.

I'm a fan of cantilever arrangements because the continuous joists over shorter spans results in much stiffer decks and lower costs for the joists. With the height issue that you described you would probably need to use reinforced concrete beams and some provision for drainage.